Under the baobab: Penn State protest messy, chaotic — as democracy often is
“The University especially is under a moral obligation to insure that full discussions of the important ideas and issues affecting our society and world continue.” -From a petition presented by FSM to the Dean of Students, Berkley University, 1964.
In school year 1964-65, I was an organizer for Friends of SNCC and the Ad Hoc Committee to End Discrimination in California. We were picketing the Oakland Tribune, which had an abysmal record of not hiring African Americans. We set up tables on the Berkley campus to recruit students. William Knowland, owner of the Tribune and a trustee of the University of California, got the university to ban outside organizations from recruiting on campus. The students protested, which led to the occupation of Sproul Hall and the Free Speech Movement (FSM). One of our picketers was Shyamala Gopalan, a grad student who had just gotten her Ph.D. and was pushing a new baby around the picket line. The FSM transformed student university relations throughout the country.
“Time moves on — ”
This past week Penn State had its own free speech issue. A student group invited two far-right organizers to speak, including the founder of the Proud Boys. Despite pleas from various groups, the PSU administration, citing the First Amendment, did not intervene. They permitted the event to proceed. There were hundreds of people outside the Thomas Building, protesting, and several hundred others in the HUB alternative event, “Together, We Are.”
There were a few incidents. Some unidentified masked person pepper sprayed the crowd; a protester spit at one of the hate group speakers; some protesters attempted to provoke the police for failing to intervene in either incident. Because of “concerns about escalating violence and public safety,” the university canceled the event. The protesters went on an impromptu march toward Old Main. Later there were skirmishes with the police.
After observing the demonstration Jo and I spent most of our time in the HUB where the alternative activities were. Community organizations including CAPS, CCU, the Gender Equity Center and Mom Hugs, set up informational tables and passed out refreshments and candy. Many folks stopped by including Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi; State College Mayor Ezra Nanes; trustee Jay Paterno; Marcus Whitehurst, vice provost for educational equity; Jennifer Hamer, interim associate VPOEE; Dean Clarence Lang; Leslie Laing from the NAACP; Terry Watson from CCU; professors Ray and Jean Najar; Robert Zeigler, PA State House candidate.
The evening was messy, chaotic. But this is what democracy looks like. The Proud Boys got paid and their publicity. The students were allowed to protest. Bendapudi provided the tent. Civil society showed us peaceful alternatives. The police did their job. There was one misdemeanor arrest. (By comparison, recall Birmingham in ‘63, Edmund-Pettus Bridge, Berkeley in ‘65, Charlottesville in 2017). Later State College Borough and Community Conferencing held a town hall at The State Theatre to help the community debrief.
“But to discuss is not enough. The democratic process is one of carrying into action the ideas and issues freely aired in free discussion. Free speech means not only freedom to discuss issues in abstract intellectual terms, but means freedom to advocate actions based on such discussion ...” -FSM petition
The election is a week away, our turn to advocate for freedom. By the way, the baby being wheeled around by Shyamala in Oakland in 1964 grew up to be Kamala Harris, vice president of the United States.
“-Alas, no. we move on. Time Stays”- Statute of Time.